Do You Have a Web Presence Strategy?

The way your brand is presented online will determine how many people actually visit your website. In order to boost your visibility online, you need an effective web presence strategy that goes beyond simply having an amazing website. So, what does this mean? In a nutshell, “web presence strategy” is a mix of strategies that includes SEO, content marketing, social media, reputation management, and PPC.

Get Mobile-Friendly

Mobile usage is more common than desktop, so a web presence strategy should include efforts to appeal to on-the-go searchers. The first step in this process is to have a site designed to be as mobile-friendly as possible:

short page load times

descriptive subheads

responsive design that adapts to screens

Reach Out to Influencers

“Influencers” are the people with a large social media or blog following within your niche. Reaching out to these people can result in a link back to your content, thereby helping you reach a larger audience. Just remember that you’re building mutually beneficial relationships, so you’ll need to do things like share your content and contribute guest posts to blogs.

Have a Consistent Multi-Channel Message

The most effective way to drive traffic to your site is to deliver a consistent brand message that extends beyond your website. Social media is a good starting point since engagements are real-time and you get a good grasp on what matters to your customers. But don’t forget about expanding your reach with traditional email campaigns and an active blog.

SEO vs PPC

While SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay per click) have very different goals, there is no one clear choice. Sure, PPC is appealing because results are seen much faster, but it’s just as important to have a steady web presence. Here’s how the SEO vs. PPC debate breaks down:

PPC delivers the intended message with carefully analyzed keywords to a very specific audience.

SEO has a lot of competition for the same audience and you’ll have to pay attention to multiple points of engagement.

PPC allows you to tap into sites with a built-in audience likely to be interested in what you have to offer.

Strive for Balance

Realistically, you’ll do better with a combination of organic and paid tactics in order to maintain a constant web presence, since paid traffic will go away when campaigns end, while SEO-generated traffic will remain consistent. The idea of finding a balance extends to everything you do online to promote your brand and stay connected with your intended audience.

Conclusion

A web presence strategy isn’t set in stone. Even when you’re seeing results in line with what you anticipated, there will always be a need to track your traffic patterns, see what content is getting the most attention, and determine where it makes sense to focus your future engagement efforts.